STATE — State Representative Kim LaSata will be moving on to the general election.

LaSata, 55, of Bainbridge Township, won the Republican nomination for District 21’s Michigan Senate seat during Tuesday’s primary election, winning over Berrien Springs resident Dave Pagel. In November’s general election, LaSata will face off against Democratic candidate Ian Haight, 33, of St. Joseph. Haight ran uncontested in the Democratic primary.

“I’m overwhelmed,” LaSata said. “You work so hard to get to this point. I’m so overwhelmed and humbled.”

LaSata is a current state representative for Michigan’s 79^th house district. She is running on a conservative platform, with a priority to reforming the state’s no-fault auto insurance laws.

“I also want to connect workers with jobs, because we know we have a lot of jobs out there now,” she said. “We need to give people who are looking for jobs what they need, whether it be training or education in order to get them into those jobs. That is what is going to grow our economy.”

Though she won the primary, LaSata said she will be hard at work until November’s general election campaigning by having a strong presence in her district.

“I’m going to continue what I have been doing, which is being present,” she said. “I have a coffee hour once a month in my district. My team does a great job with constituent services. I attend numerous meetings throughout the district, and I will continue that through the entire 21^st district.”

LaSata’s opponent Pagel called her to concede after 11 p.m. Tuesday. Pagel said that though he lost the primary, he was proud of the work he and his team did.

“I feel bad that I lost [for the people who helped me,]” he said. “But I can look back, I’m in my 24^th year now in public service, and it’s an honor. I’m proud of the work I have done in those years and I am thankful that people chose to elect me so many times. I am looking forward to a more private life away from politics.”